League Report: Shamrock Rovers B 0 - 3 Longford Town
Credit:
Three second half goals saw Longford Town stretch their unbeaten run to 12 games and maintain their six point advantage at the top of the First Division table when they defeated a poor Shamrock Rovers B side on Friday night.
Town were in control of the game from start to finish and they could’ve won by more with the amount of chances they created. Rovers offered nothing and had not one shot of note throughout the whole one-sided game.
David O’Sullivan had the first effort for Town in the second minute but his header from a Mark Salmon free went over. Don Cowan hit his effort wide minutes later as Town dominated proceedings.
In the 17th minute Cowan found O’Sullivan but his chance was deflected out for a corner. Kevin O’Connor then played a great ball into Gary Shaw in the 30th minute but his diving header just went wide.
Pat Sullivan floated a ball in minutes later but O’Sullivan failed to find the target with a header. Town were completely on top but failing to convert any of their chances.
Three minutes into the second half and O’Sullivan took the wrong option, deciding to pass to Shaw instead of taking the shot himself. He came close again in the 55th minute from an O’Connor cross.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 61st minute when O’Sullivan and Shaw combined for Salmon to find the back of the net from just inside the box.
Town created more chances after that as they tried to add to their tally. In the 68th minute substitute Peter Hynes played the ball to O’Sullivan but the striker shot straight at Rovers netminder Conor O’Malley.
After having a number of chances O’Sullivan finally found the back of the net in the 76th minute; Cowan made a great run down the wing, played the ball to O’Sullivan who controlled the ball before firing home.
O’Sullivan had another chance in the 84th minute after getting onto the end of a ball over the top but the player’s shot was off target.
Town continued to press and create more scoring opportunities and in stoppage time they got their third goal; full-back Jamie Mulhall burst through and cut inside, he opted to pass to O’Sullivan instead of taking the shot himself and the striker made no mistake in grabbing his 19th league goal of the season and seal a good win for the First Division leaders.
Shamrock Rovers B: Conor O’Malley; Emeka Onwubiko (Cian Kavanagh 66), Jack Watson, Dylan Kavanagh, Alan Kehoe (Adam Whelan 11), Conor Dunne, Daniel Purdy, Nathan Brown, Sean Heaney, Chris Lyons, Richard Purdy (Gavin Boyne 71).
Subs not used: Michael Kelly (gk), Mark Sandford, Stephen Confrey, Nathan Benson.
Booked: O’Malley (41), Boyne (80).
Longford Town: Paul Hunt; Jamie Mulhall, Pat Sullivan, Pat Flynn, Noel Haverty; Don Cowan (Lorcan Shannon 77), Stephen Rice (Rhys Gorman 81), Mark Salmon, Kevin O’Connor; Gary Shaw (Peter Hynes 67), David O’Sullivan.
Subs: Chris Bennion (gk), Giordano Cinnelli, Conor O’Brien, Etanda Nkololo.
Booked: None.
Referee: John McLoughlin (Athlone)
Attendance: Unknown
Extratime man of the match: Jamie Mulhall (Longford Town)
